How about rules for "adding" terrain terrain before a game starts. Maybe a bidding system, or using part of your list points/build to include terrain elements.

For example, you are playing in a forest / wood area. There are some trees, and a simple road running through the board.

Each player then gets to bid or fight (somehow ???) in order to place down some terrain pieces in addition to the starting board. So, player 1 may get to place a fallen tree used as blocking terrain. Player two can then place a terrain piece marking a deep pit or trap covered in leaves.

Make the terrain part of the actual game. I think Helldorado does something like this.

It's a rule I've only ever seen done in Helldorado and I'm not sure if it works there or not. It is at least different, however. Here is how it works:

You build your army lists as normal, then mark out the space you're going to play in. This space has no terrain in it at this point, it's just empty board. Then, based on the points involved, you have a certain number of, basically, terrain points you must spend. Say you've got 300 points of army, you have to spend six terrain points, you have to spend all six and you cannot spend more than six. Your opponent has the same. The end result is that 12 points of terrain go on the board. You roll a die to see what terrain table you'll both be buying from, whether it's all frozen and icy wasteland, ashen bogs, volcanic debris, or what. Then, when each player has purchased his or her share of terrain, the players have to divide the table into nine equal areas and bid points in secret for the right to put a piece of terrain into that space on the table. End result, you reveal the points bid on each area, the winner of the auction puts a piece of terrain there, and then with all the terrain placed you move on to deploying your forces.

cymruvoodoo escribió:It's a rule I've only ever seen done in Helldorado and I'm not sure if it works there or not. It is at least different, however. Here is how it works:

You build your army lists as normal, then mark out the space you're going to play in. This space has no terrain in it at this point, it's just empty board. Then, based on the points involved, you have a certain number of, basically, terrain points you must spend. Say you've got 300 points of army, you have to spend six terrain points, you have to spend all six and you cannot spend more than six. Your opponent has the same. The end result is that 12 points of terrain go on the board. You roll a die to see what terrain table you'll both be buying from, whether it's all frozen and icy wasteland, ashen bogs, volcanic debris, or what. Then, when each player has purchased his or her share of terrain, the players have to divide the table into nine equal areas and bid points in secret for the right to put a piece of terrain into that space on the table. End result, you reveal the points bid on each area, the winner of the auction puts a piece of terrain there, and then with all the terrain placed you move on to deploying your forces.

Eh, I like Helldorado well enough and the way that system makes setting up the terrain a part of playing the game is interesting. It certainly solves all whining "but the terrain was bad for my army" that you can hear quite frequently in other games. If the terrain is bad for you, well, you've had a fair chance to make it equally good for yourself and bad for your enemy.

I don't think the system works everywhere and it does place a fair amount of strain on the average player's or club's terrain collection since the options are all supernatural portrayals of scenes from Dante's Inferno but it's still thought provoking in the underlying concept.

cymruvoodoo escribió:Eh, I like Helldorado well enough and the way that system makes setting up the terrain a part of playing the game is interesting. It certainly solves all whining "but the terrain was bad for my army" that you can hear quite frequently in other games. If the terrain is bad for you, well, you've had a fair chance to make it equally good for yourself and bad for your enemy.

I don't think the system works everywhere and it does place a fair amount of strain on the average player's or club's terrain collection since the options are all supernatural portrayals of scenes from Dante's Inferno but it's still thought provoking in the underlying concept.

Right, and it doesn't necessarily have to be terrain... What type of new idea can we suggest for the rulebook using a bidding/auction system before the game starts? Perhaps it's objectives, or even bidding on mercenaries to be included... Perhaps special items, etc.